


The Quest for Contentment

by FemslashUniverse



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: F/F, Flirting, Fluff, Fun, Holodeck, Humor, Lesbians in Space, Romance, Tension, good vibes, maybe smut later, sometimes serious tho
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:22:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22873186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FemslashUniverse/pseuds/FemslashUniverse
Summary: When the Captain requests Seven explore various hobbies to stop her from becoming a workaholic, Seven agrees under the condition that Kathryn assists her.
Relationships: Kathryn Janeway/Seven of Nine
Comments: 19
Kudos: 91





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was updated on 01/11/21.

“You requested my presence, Captain.” 

“Yes.” Comfortable on her couch, Kathryn set her coffee on the table in front of her “Please sit.” 

“I would pref—“ 

“I know, I know.” She waved her hand and peered up at the blonde who waited emotionlessly. She hadn’t really expected to call Seven to her quarters, but after reading yet another report from her, she realized what sort of conversation was required.

“Seven, I just finished your report about the gel packs. It was… thorough. I didn’t realize you had such fondness for them.” 

“Fondness?” 

“Why else would you have compiled three PADD’s worth of data on them?” She gestured to the PADDs splayed on her desk. 

“To increase efficiency. If we make the proposed changes to the relevant systems, we will increase their efficiency by 3.7 percent.” 

“3.7…” Kathryn said to herself. She took hold of her metal coffee mug and sipped the cooled liquid. “Seven, I—I’m a little concerned.” 

The blonde tilted her head with a furrowed brow. “Explain.” 

A raspy, subdued chuckle escaped the Captain’s lips as she leaned back against the couch and held her cup against her leg. “I think it would be best if you found some other outlets.” 

Seven eyed the ground to think about it, but raised her chin again as Kathryn continued.

“The work you do is—flawless—“

“Flawless?” 

“—And I’m not saying we won’t implement these changes, but I think you need to explore some hobbies. Work isn’t everything.” 

“Captain, you are constantly working. You are contradicting yourself.” 

She gave her a half grin, “That’s different. I’m the Captain. This is part of my job—“

“So is what I do—“ 

“—But even though I am working most of the time, that doesn’t mean I don’t have hobbies. Other things of personal interest that I think about and spend, what little free time I may have, on those interests.” 

“An example?” 

Kathryn shook her head, “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that  _ you  _ find one for yourself. Something that excites you, makes you passionate.” She held her hands up with an arched eyebrow, “does that make sense?” 

Seven pursed her lips and bobbed her head lightly back and forth once, “I understand the concept. However, I do not feel the need to involve myself in activities other than improving the ship. You have said on many occasions that our purpose is to work toward returning to Earth. ‘Hobbies’ are not how we accomplish that goal.” 

Kathryn gave her a warm smile, happy that a crew member took her words so to heart, but knowing she should’ve noticed it earlier. Seven was mimicking her own behaviors, and being a workaholic wasn’t the human trait she wanted Seven to adopt. She rose from the couch and threw back the last sip of cold coffee. Licking her lips to absorb every drop, she then brushed past Seven and placed the empty mug in the receptacle. 

“Captain?” Seven turned around, still perfectly erect with her hands behind her back, but now facing Kathryn on the other side of the living area. Kathryn made her way back to her and stood before her, obviously deep in thought. “Captain?” 

“I would like you to do this, Seven. I think it would be good for you. I don’t want you to…” she shook her head, shook away the thoughts. “I would like you to do this.” 

The blonde wanted to make a comment about the Captain repeating herself, but bit it back.  _ Not the time _ . “Is that an order?” It came out like a whisper, and she could feel her heart pounding against her chest. 

“No. It’s a request.” 

Seven dipped her head and then held it high again. “I will comply.” 

“Great!” 

“Under one condition.” 

Kathryn met her eyes, slate grey with speckles of blue and gold. As she fell into her Captain’s daring eyes, Seven felt her body tense and relax at the same time. An odd sensation she only seemed to experience when she was close to the Captain like this. 

Seven continued, “You will assist me in finding an acceptable hobby.” 

She half smiled and half winced, “I don’t know that I’ll have all that much time, Seven—“

“I am in no rush.”

“I don’t know if th-that would work.” Why was she so flustered all of a sudden? 

“Then I will continue to improve the ship.” 

Kathryn scoffed,  _ damn the sneaky ex-Borg _ . “Fine,” she acquiesced. 

Seven nodded once with a nearly undetectable smirk, obviously proud that her little play worked. “Shall we begin now?” 

Kathryn laughed in a short burst again, “No. It’s late and I think it would be best if you regenerated.” 

“I do not need to regenerate.” 

She wasn’t buying it and Seven knew it right away. 

“Will you regenerate as well?” 

Kathryn nodded, her eyes already much heavier than only a few minutes before. “Soundly.” 

Seven bowed her head a final time before she turned to leave the Captain’s quarters. 

“Tomorrow,” Kathryn called as she picked up the PADDs on the table and looked at the display of the top one. “After my shift.” 

Seven remained in the doorway, watching the Captain, not quite sure she was talking to her. Kathryn flicked her eyes toward her and her heart began to thump in her chest again. “Tomorrow, Captain.” 


	2. Gardening

As soon as she heard Kathryn’s voice come through her comm, Seven realized she was nervous. Having any sense of  _ nerves  _ at all made her anxious and being anxious was almost as troubling as being nervous. The main difference, she realized, was that being nervous came with other, lighter sensations. Knots in her stomach, an apt metaphor, would then change to another: consisting of butterflies in her stomach. And the sensations would move through her with unreasonable fluidity, spiking in certain circumstances and gently ebbing away in others. Hearing the Captain’s voice brought on the knots. But, arriving in front of holodeck 2 to be met with the Captain made the knots loosen. 

Seven followed her, Kathryn stretching her neck as they entered the holodeck. 

The doors shut behind them and with the suctioned pop Seven felt the butterflies unleash. To be human was to be exhausted by the torment of changing feelings, not purely of depth but of type. 

“Did you think about anything to try?” Kathryn asked as she folded her arms against her chest. 

Seven froze for a moment—she hadn’t even thought of looking. She’d been too distracted by the sensations that only seemed to grow over time, concerning the Captain herself. “No, Captain.” 

“Kathryn, please,” the redhead nodded curtly. 

“Kathryn…” Seven whispered it into the air. 

The Captain turned her back to her and put a hand to her chin. She tapped her foot and then held up a finger. Smiling, she typed in the program and the gridded room transformed in a flash. 

A lush, albeit small garden appeared around them. To the west, a barn stood an acre away. Behind her, Seven found the back porch of a quaint farmhouse. The garden was only some fifty feet across both ways, but it was vibrant. Red, yellow, purple and white flowers ran along the inside of a rustic, log fence. A pebble path broke the garden into a grid of its own, with bushels of rampion growing abundantly. 

Seven slowly looked up as Kathryn stepped into the sunlight on the pebble path and smiled up at the sky. Her breath caught in her throat as the warm sun reflected off Kathryn’s radiant red hair, speckled with auburn and gold. Seven squeezed her hands together behind her back, needing to hold onto something, if not herself. 

The changing speed of time was another observation she’d made recently. Although time did not actually slow in these moments, she’d checked more than once, it felt as though everything moved at an agonizing and wonderful pace. It allowed her to observe Kathryn’s lips, her long fingers at her side, her hips and waist. The slowing of time gifted her long, perfect moments to gaze at the details—not ones of her surroundings or other more logical details, just ones of  _ her.  _

An image came to mind and she smiled as she stared, an image that made her flush and excited at the same time. Kathryn laying beside her in a meadow of soft grass, sun beaming down on her as it did now, but Seven’s body resting beside hers. An image of Kathryn smiling at her and Seven leaning in to press her lips against hers in a wonderful rendezvous, like kissing fire. 

Seven opened her eyes, not realizing she had closed them. She looked to where Kathryn had been and found the spot empty. Kathryn returned to her side with a bucket, two pairs of gloves, shears and trowels. 

“Ready to work?” Kathryn eyed her with a smirk. 

“I thought you did not want me to work.” 

“Different kind of work, Seven.” 

The blonde followed her around one of the sections of rampion. She copied the Captain’s actions, kneeling in front of the bushels, donning a pair of gloves, taking a trowel in hand. Kathryn turned to Seven with an approving nod. 

“We need to remove a couple of the bulbs—they’re at the end of the roots. We just need this row. We’re going to move them to the other garden around the front.” 

“Do you know this place?” 

Kathryn chuckled, “very well.” She smiled at the house. “This was my grandmother’s farm. I have a lot of happy memories here.” 

Seven eyed her, itching to ask but knowing it was better not to—Kathryn rarely divulged information about her past, and just being in one of those places was good enough. 

“First things first,” Kathryn raised her eyebrows to Seven, “you’re going to take both of your hands, hold them up.” Seven held up her gloved hands like Kathryn did. “And dig those fingers deep into the soil.” 

Seven squinted, trying to decipher if the Cap—if Kathryn, was jesting. 

Kathryn knocked her with her elbow and plunged her fingers into the moist dirt, just to prove she was being serious. Seven followed suit, uncomfortable at first and then finding the sensation oddly comforting, like, perhaps, she’d once played in dirt like this as a child. 

“Do you know why we’re doing this?” Kathryn asked with an amused expression. 

“I do not.” 

“It’s like, warming you up.” 

Seven frowned, “I am quite warm.” 

Kathryn tossed her head back with a laugh; Seven tried not to stare at her exposed neck before Kathryn turned back to her. “I mean, it’s to help you relax and get used to the s—the feeling. How does it feel?” 

Seven looked at her fingers hidden in the soil and eyed Kathryn without turning her head up. “Wet.” 

The redhead quickly looked back to the plant and pulled her own fingers out from the dirt. “Next, we want to dig out the dirt from around the plant without breaking it. I know it’s not a Borg trait, but try to be gentle.” 

Seven glanced at her and then watched her form as she scooped dirt away, skimming the surface of the soil in wide, soft movements. She reiterated the actions around her bushel until most of the loose topsoil sat in a pile off to the side. 

“Good,” Kathryn assessed. “Now the fun part.” She gave one of the trowels to Seven. “We need to dig up the soil around the roots until we get down to the bulb. It’s by far the most delicate part, and you don’t want to sever any of the roots from the bulb or from the upper part of the plant.” 

“That is… fun?” 

Kathryn shined a big smile, “it’s… meditative. Relaxing? You’ve heard of that, haven’t you?” 

“Yes,” she retorted sharply. 

“I’m just teasing you,” she raised her eyebrows in further amusement before focusing on her plant.

“You are.” Seven replied under her breath as she went to work, or  _ fun _ , as Kathryn claimed. 

As time went on, the warmth of the sun became a hot hindrance. She sweated and left dirt streaks across her face when wiping her forehead with her wrist. She continued digging as she covertly watched Kathryn. The redhead stood, clapping her gloved hands together to get rid of the excess dirt. She dropped them off her hands onto the dirt pile. 

She unzipped the top of her uniform and exposed a black tank top. After she tied the arms of her uniform around her waist, she kneeled again and slid her gloves back on. Sweat dripped down, also leaving streaks in the dirt that made it to her forearms and biceps. 

Seven was privy to every bit of exposed flesh, whether she wanted to be or not, her eyes would not release her. Now the meadow she imagined before had gone and she found herself inside one of the farm rooms of the house. Wood paneling, an old fashioned bed, an antique water pitcher and basin. Kathryn’s long, sinewy arms caged around her on the bed, and Seven reaching around one arm and trailing her lips along the muscles…

“How’s yours coming along?” 

Seven was grateful that her body continued digging while her mind had wandered. She looked down to find the bulb intact and resting on a little mound she’d created. 

“Not bad,” Kathryn leaned over to see around a part of rampion blocking her view. 

Seven could feel the heat she brought with her, the musk of sweat, the aroma of lingering coffee and the faintest hint of orange. Then the heat and scent were gone and Kathryn stood and held out a hand to Seven. She took her hand carefully and let the smaller woman pull her up. 

Kathryn whacked her hands together again, getting the dirt off before tossing the gloves aside. “Let’s get something to drink.” 

Seven followed her up the steps of the back porch and over the threshold. 

Kathryn set a pitcher of lemonade on the old, narrow kitchen table with a thick, plastic and spongy tablecloth over it. The linoleum floor matched it with a pattern of small blue squares spread out diagonally. Seven watched as Kathryn moved back into the kitchen and leaned against a counter to reach for two tall glasses on the top shelf. The redhead smiled as she returned to the little table.

After she poured them each a full glass, she sat opposite Seven, both their chair backs against a wall, and stretched their legs out. Seven drank down the lemonade quickly, surprised at her thirst. She’d done harder work before, for much longer, but the lemonade was incredibly satisfying after laboring in the heat. 

Finally, after another half glass, her muscles began to relax. She set an arm on the table, letting her hand dangle off the edge. Surprised but unflinching, Seven felt Kathryn set her hand on top of hers and gave her a gentle squeeze. 

“How’s that for a hobby?” She half-grinned. 

Seven enjoyed the feel of her fingers against her own. Hot, thin fingers absentmindedly caressing her Borg exoskeletal hand and the grafted metal, in small, easy circles. 

She must have stared too long because Kathryn abruptly stopped and pulled her hand away. 

Seven took a gulp of lemonade. “Is your grandmother here?” 

She lifted an eyebrow, “you want to meet grandma Janeway?” 

“If you will permit me.” 

Kathryn seemed to study her for a moment before she winked, “maybe another time. We’ve gotta get the rest of the rampion moved. You up to finishing the project?” 

Seven dipped her head, her eyes falling across Kathryn’s arms once again. Any excuse to be close to her was good enough reason. 

They stepped out of the holodeck a few hours later, both sure they would be sore the following day. Kathryn’s uniform was zipped up around her once again, and Seven took up her customary stance. 

“I’ll walk you to Cargo Bay 2,” Kathryn smiled in the dim hallway. 

Seven nodded, afraid of what she would say if she opened her mouth. They walked to the turbo lift and took it down to her floor, crossed the hall and landed in front of Cargo Bay 2, all in comfortable silence, arms brushing against each other occasionally. 

They looked at each other in front of the open doors and Kathryn finally nodded. She turned to head back to the turbo. 

“I—“ Seven began and then stopped. The Captain turned back, waiting for her to continue. 

“Thank you, Captain.” 

She gave her a signature lopsided smile, “Kathryn, when we’re not on duty.”

Seven nodded. 

“Goodnight,” Kathryn subdued and turned away. 

Seven watched her leave for a few, time-slowing moments, before disappearing into Cargo Bay 2 with a soft sigh. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated on 01/11/21


	3. Horseback Riding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated on 01/11/21

Kathryn waited by a tall fence, one boot on the first slat and the other firmly on the hard brown dirt. Her tan riding pants fit snugly, chestnut-colored boots ending just before the knee. She wore a maroon show shirt with a tan men’s tie around the neck. It’d been a long time since she’d had the luxury of riding—there never seemed to be a good excuse, until now. 

She thrummed her fingers along the higher slat of the fence. After another fifteen minutes, she was just thinking she should go check on her Astrometrics officer when she caught a glimpse of her from afar. The tail of a coat. Her breath hitched in her throat as she saw Seven emerge from the other end of the stable. She wore charcoal-grey boots, pants and a show coat, with a cream colored riding shirt. Kathryn wasn’t sure she’d seen anyone so beautiful. She looked away as she approached the blonde. 

Inside the stable, Kathryn stood in front of a stall with a white and brown speckled horse, and beside her Seven stood in front of a similar looking one. 

“Grab some oats.” 

Seven watched as Kathryn took a handful from a bag on the floor and held it out to her horse. The large creature quickly ate the treat and seemed to soften up to Kathryn. Peculiar, Seven thought. 

She copied her action and tentatively held out her hand. The male horse eyed her for a moment before sniffing the oats in her hand. She closed her eyes tightly as it began to eat from her hand. 

Kathryn glanced over and stepped up beside the horse, leaning her elbow on the stall door and watching Seven with a soft smile. As the last of the oats were gobbled up, Seven opened her eyes to find the redhead smiling. 

Blushing, she looked to the ground. When she glanced up again she found Kathryn opening the stalls and taking both horses reins. She led the two animals out of the stable and Seven followed behind. Despite her Borgness, she’d never encountered such an auspicious and powerful creature, let alone the two horses. 

She shook her head of her thoughts as the group stopped outside. Kathryn put her hands on her hips and gave Seven a smirk. “You’re gonna be fine.” 

Seven took a breath and nodded once, holding her back straight as a board. How did she seem to know she was nervous?

“I think you should ride Pisces.” She held her hands toward the male horse that had eaten from Seven’s hand. “He’s a lot like you.” 

“Explain.” 

“He’s stubborn.” 

Seven noted the twinkle in Kathryn’s eyes but still frowned and slightly bunched her lips together in a bit of a pout. 

Kathryn seemed to find it humorous, chuckling once more. “He’s also cautious to trust others. But once he does, it’s a fierce loyalty. I wouldn’t come between him and his loved ones.” 

Seven felt heat rising to her ears but avoided being caught by moving toward him. He pulled back as she made her way toward him and Kathryn petted his mane, holding out her other hand to stop Seven. 

“You have to approach gently.”

Seven took another breath. She’d signed up for this, hadn’t she? 

“Try to relax.” 

“I do not know how.” 

Kathryn gave her a crooked smile. She unclipped the reins from both the horses and let them wander inside the enclosure. She laid the reins over the top of the fence and walked toward Seven, smiling as she passed by. “Come on.” 

Seven walked beside her, suddenly nervous once more. They followed along the fence, taking the large circle calmly, except for Seven’s quickened heartbeat. Her mind was as blank as it was racing with thoughts. It took her two full strides before she realized Kathryn had stopped. She turned back to find her, the Captain of a starship, climbing over a wall. She landed squarely on her feet and turned back, putting her hand to her waist.

“Are you coming?” 

“What of the horses?” 

“They’ll wait,” Kathryn smirked as she began backing away, heading toward a walkway surrounded by two tall, manicured hedges. 

Seven glanced at the horses on the far side of the enclosure and then climbed over the wall with ease. She stood in the threshold of the hedges and found a small stone building.

“Kathryn?” 

“Come on.” 

The voice came from inside the building and Seven took the five steps to the ajar door. It creaked as it opened and she was met by a wave of wet heat. As her eyes adjusted to the dimness, she found the center of the building consisted of a medium-sized whirlpool bath. Lined with smooth grey marble, lit with warm lights, steam rising from the moving water inside. 

Kathryn returned from a back door Seven hadn’t even noticed. A towel on her arm, she wore a black one-piece suit, simple and efficient. Seven tried not to smile. 

Kathryn dipped a toe in and then took the steps down until the water encased her up to her neck. Her eyes closed. “Are you just going to stand there?” 

“What does—“

“It’s to help you relax, Seven. See? Stubborn.” 

Seven pursed her lips and then disappeared behind the door Kathryn had emerged from. Kathryn rested the back of her head against the lip of the pool and let her body float to the surface, her toes just barely touching the opposite side. She gripped the seat with her hands to keep her tied to her spot. It’d been ages since she’d been able to relax in a hot tub. Seven was inadvertently, if not by accident, making her less of a hypocrite. 

She felt the change in the water as it lapped against her chin and pulled her body back down, setting her feet lightly against the smooth marble. Finally opening her eyes, she spotted Seven just as she dunked her head back into the water. Kathryn tried not to stare but found her attention squarely on Seven’s bare bosom as she arched her back. She inhaled a small bit of the water in her gasp and choked back a cough as she grew tense once more. 

She kept her head turned toward the wall while she watched Seven’s general movements from her peripherals. So much for relaxing, she thought. You really did yourself in this time, Kathryn. 

“You are right,” Seven breathed from across the water. Her chin bobbed just above the water and tendrils of hair framed her face. “This is... relaxing.”

Kathryn gulped silently as her body lurched in reaction to her voice. She knew she couldn’t dare look at her directly. But the thought of touching her skin, of kissing her lips, of biting her… It all seemed to crawl inside her mind and linger. No matter the heat of the water, a different sort of heat made itself well-known inside her. 

On the other side, Seven tried not to smile. She knew it wasn’t proper to read Kathryn’s vitals, but they, like her own, had grown so much louder since they entered the water. Her heartbeat was pounding, blood rushing like a flood from her heart to her center and back again, and she wondered if Kathryn was experiencing a similar phenomenon.

They remained in silence for some time, Kathryn keeping her eyes glued to the wall or looking down directly at the water. 

The silence was slowly getting to Seven though, and she pawed at random thoughts to verbalize something. “Why must one be relaxed to ride an equine?” 

“...Horses are sensitive to emotion. On Earth we use horses to aid in therapy.” 

“Do they take efficient notes?” 

Kathryn turned to her and met Seven’s twinkle with a large, crooked grin. “Funny.” 

She dipped her head. “When did you learn to ride?” 

“Real young. Some of my earliest memories consist of riding with my family.” 

“Do you wish to have children?” Seven didn’t fully realize what she had asked until a moment afterward. She winced internally. 

Kathryn probed her expression with calculating eyes, then brushed her suspicions aside. “I’ve thought about it but all of that remains in the background until we—“

“Reach Earth.” 

“Right.” 

“I believe if anyone can return  _ Voyager  _ to the Alpha Quadrant, it is you. However, there is a possibility that we will not return for many, many years. Do you not wish to build a family on  _ Voyager _ ?” 

Kathryn took a deep breath, the hot air singeing her lungs. She eyed Seven seriously, with a hint of sadness she believed Seven could see. She turned her focus to the water again. “What about you?” 

“I have learned in my studies of human nature that they—we—are not always able to take large risks without the guarantee of happiness as a result.” 

Kathryn thought over the statement. 

“There are rumors—“ Seven stopped short. 

Kathryn eyed her with another signature smirk, “oh? What have you heard?” 

“...There is a betting pool about who the Captain will ‘bed and wed’.” 

“Really?” She shook her head with a laugh. “Maybe I don’t want to hear this.”

“Suffice it to say, much of the crew believes you will bed Commander Chakotay.” 

Kathryn let out a quick, loud laugh. “That’s uh—“ She chuckled again. “Wow.”

“Explain.” 

She looked at her with pure amusement, unsure how to respond. 

Taking Kathryn’s silence as proof, she tried to hide her disappointment. “You have already mated with him.” 

Kathryn laughed aloud again, throwing her head back and exposing her neck to Seven’s gaze. 

“That’d be like  _ bedding  _ a brother.” She shivered from the thought. 

“You do not wish to mate with him? That is contradictory to what many believe.” 

Kathryn’s smile slowly dropped as she looked into the water in front of her. “I can’t be with someone I don’t love.” 

She could feel her heart pounding against her chest, every fibre of her being wanting and wishing Kathryn would love her. 

Kathryn looked up and held her gaze. “Could you sleep with someone you don’t love? Would you?” 

“I have in the past,” Seven stated as her eyes fell to the water. “But I found it to be unsatisfactory… And when I… what came to my mind was her.” She could hear her blood rushing through her ears at her confession, and she could feel Kathryn watching her, but too afraid to see her reaction, she looked at her hands under the steaming water. But the emotions inside were bubbling and bursting and she could feel two wet streaks down her cheeks. Her knuckles were white under the water, holding onto her own hands tightly. 

“Seven…” Kathryn moved across the water and stood in front of her. Despite her wet hands, she ran her thumbs across the ex-Borg’s cheeks to wipe away the tears. “I’m sorry if I upset you. I didn’t mean to.” She cupped one hand to her cheek and felt Seven lean into her touch. She felt her cheeks turn red as she remembered Seven’s lack of clothing, but two hands enclosed her other hand under the water, gently but firmly. Exoskeletal fingers ran along her skin tenderly—unlike anything Kathryn expected. She closed her eyes as Seven questioningly slid her fingers between Kathryn’s. 

The blonde waited tentatively for her reaction. She grinned and opened her eyes as Kathryn held her hand under the water, fingers enclosing around her own. She placed her non-exo fingers under Kathryn’s chin and tilted her head upward. “Open your eyes, Kathryn,” she whispered. 

She took a staggered breath and then opened them to find a growing smile on Seven’s lips. They looked back and forth at one another before Seven began to tug her closer. She tilted her head and let her lips hover beside Kathryn’s. She waited, moments going on hours, licking her lips as she left the choice up to the Captain.

“Kiss me, Seven.” 

She did so immediately. Sliding her lips against Kathryn’s before their arms wrapped around each other. Seven was surprised by Kathryn’s tongue in her mouth, and then elated by the sensation, she pulled Kathryn’s wet body tighter against her own. Feeling a part of Kathryn inside of her made her dizzy with arousal. 

Kathryn’s long fingers ran down her jawline as she kissed her, then across her shoulders. She squeezed her biceps as the kiss deepened and Seven slid her hands caressingly down her back, and lower, taking her time pressing into her flesh. The moan began making its way up Kathryn’s body. 

“Chakotay to the Captain.” 

With the sound of Chakotay’s voice playing through the computer, Kathryn came back to herself. Wide-eyed, she pulled away quickly from Seven and turned her back to her. “Captain here.” 

“Sorry to disturb you, Captain. There appears to be an anomalous event happening a few light years from here.” 

Kathryn was already walking out of the tub, grabbing her towel as she left. While Chakotay went on, and Kathryn disappeared into the changing room, Seven let out a deep breath. 

Her heart still fluttered and body still yearned, but a smile crept across her lips.

Kissing and feeling her had been even more fulfilling than she hoped. It brought comfort and excitement, setting parts of her on fire and other parts clicking perfectly.

Even interrupted, Seven felt light and relieved and anxious at the same time. She was grateful for her eidetic memory, though she knew she didn’t need it to remember the sensations Kathryn left inside her. She dipped her head back into the water once more and began counting the minutes until she could kiss her again. 


	4. One Month

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated 01/11/21

Two Weeks Later

Seven regenerated in her alcove, standing tall and erect as she always did. Kathryn couldn’t imagine how she was comfortable, or how she was able to stay standing. But regeneration had its perks. For one, she could stand beside Seven and watch her without creating a disturbance. 

Although she’d tried staying away from her guilty pleasure, her own sleep cycles had been affected. She tossed and turned for nearly a week until she finally gave in. Pulling on her uniform haphazardly and trying her best to avoid other crew members, she made her way to Cargo Bay 2. 

Seven had begun locking her ‘quarters,’ but she’d given the code to the officers, in case of an emergency. Gaining entrance this way wasn’t exactly something Kathryn was proud of, but she figured her motivation was innocent enough, and she typed the code in all the same. 

Once inside the dim room she resealed the doors and stripped off her command jacket. She tossed it on a console, oblivious as it slid quietly to the floor. Her focus remained steadfast on the regenerating blonde. Stepping up to the device, she came around to stand directly in front of her. Her normal place had been off to the side, but she craved being closer to her. She missed her, she realized. It was much less professional, but the closer she stood to Seven, the more she realized she missed her. 

She cupped a hand around Seven’s at her side and brought the hand up. She pressed her mouth carefully to the exoskeletal fingers before setting it back down to her side. How she longed to feel those fingers intertwined with her own, a dream come true those weeks ago. She noted a few loose strands of blonde hair had fallen in Seven’s face and Kathryn dazily smiled as she tucked the golden hair over Seven’s ear. 

Her heart hammering, she moved closer to the blonde and slid her hands around Seven’s waist, and pressed herself into her. Turning her head, she cuddled into Seven’s chest and remained there, her cheek against Seven’s sternum. Her entire body relaxed as she listened to and felt Seven’s steady, calm heartbeat. It was the most lovingly, chaste embrace she ever gave.

An hour later, Kathryn returned to her quarters. She’d grown wary, standing for so long after a long shift, even clutching to Seven couldn’t fight her tiredness. In her bedroom, she kicked off her shoes and tossed her uniform off as she crawled into bed. Her eyes heavy and her body ready for sleep, she couldn’t help but look across her bed and imagine Seven laying there. She pressed her hand to the spot on the bed that she’d always reserved for the blonde. Whether or not it ever happened, the space beside her was only ever for Seven. 

It was that comforting thought that helped her fall asleep. 

*****

Another two weeks later

  
  


Seven ate by herself in the mess hall. She poked at the nutritional supplement but found she didn’t much feel like eating, even if it would benefit her efficiency. That had been a big revelation to her the first time it occurred. Now it was old news. 

She’d vowed to be patient and give the Captain time before she inquired about another hobby option. If Kathryn didn’t want to talk to her about what happened between them,  _ fine _ , Seven thought. As long as she could spend time with her, she could live with loving her from afar, couldn’t she? 

“...I heard she’s been sneaking out every night.” 

“ _ Every  _ night?” 

Seven tried to ignore the conversation playing out beside her, but with her enhanced hearing she didn’t have much choice. 

“I don’t believe it!” 

“It’s true,” A third voice offered as he sat down with a lunch tray. “I have two reliable sources that confirm it.” 

“Well! I guess I like that our Captain can get it when she wants it.” 

The other two men chuckled. 

“I just want to know who with.” 

“Have you seen Tom’s odds?” 

“Yeah, but who knows who she’s actually screwing. It could be anybody, or maybe a few people.”

“Ha-cha-cha,” another one responded, to laughs.

Seven was dumbfounded—they were actually discussing Kathryn’s love life. How had she not known Kathryn was seeing someone every night? Of course, rumors were as devious as they were erroneous, and changed faster than anyone could keep up with.

*****

  
  


“Tom Paris.” 

“Seven… Hi. What’s going on?” He poked his head out of his shared quarters to see if he missed an emergency or some problem on board. 

“May I enter?” 

“...Sure.” He stepped out of the way and the doors suctioned closed behind them. He gestured to the sofa and she sat uncomfortably. He suddenly recalled how Seven didn’t really sit very often, and how strange that was, and even stranger, her being there at all. “Do you want something to drink?” 

“No, thank you.” 

He nodded, feeling awkward. “So, what’s up?” 

Seven looked up at the ceiling out of instinct and then lowered her chin again. When would she get used to the colloquialisms? “I have heard you have information that I am seeking.” 

“Oh? Like what?” He relaxed against the sofa chair.

“It was brought to my attention that you have a pool.” 

Tom eyed the room with confusion and then it slowly dawned on him.  _ Not a swimming pool, you idiot.  _ He didn’t see much point in trying to lie to her. He held up a finger and disappeared behind a desk. Holding a PADD, he projected the screen onto the wall covered with photos he’d taken. 

Seven stood and approached the projection, frowning as she read over the information. At the top it read  _ Bed Board _ . A contrite play on words, Seven noted. The grid contained names along the top and scenarios down the left. Scribbled-in notes included odds, and marks left over from the odds that changed. Nearly every square had at least a name or two of those who believed their person and situation would be correct. 

She quickly clamped onto her own name, second on the list after Chakotay’s. Surely that many didn’t really believe the Captain was sleeping with Seven… She scanned the popular scenarios. One contained the number twenty-five, the number of people who were betting on that square, predicted the Captain and Seven would first copulate during a Velocity match. She smiled at the projection, knowing Tom couldn’t see her from behind. Situation J712, as it was labeled, wasn’t even the most popular for her category. 

But the highest square across the entire board was labeled JC01, with the number sixty-one written inside. Kathryn and Chakotay, of course, and the setting, the bridge. 

She didn’t like the way it made her feel—angry, disappointed, jealous and sad. Who were the sixty-one crew members that believed this? Was Chakotay in the pool, too? Was he one of the sixty-seven? Her knuckles grew white at her sides. 

“Seven?... Seven?” 

“What?” She flipped around and then took a shaky breath. 

He noted her white knuckles and the intense look in her eye before she relaxed into her normal stance. “You won’t tell the Captain, will you? I know it’s kind of weird, and not very… tact, but I promise it’s harmless. No one really believes any of it—it’s just a way to let off steam.” 

Seven turned back to look over the chart again. “Is this…...” 

“What?” 

“Is this—” her voice wavered and she stopped immediately. 

He walked over to her, looking up at her by her side before focusing on the chart. “I won’t tell if you don’t,” he said jovially, but quietly. 

She examined him a moment and then held her head high again. Her eyes focused on Chakotay’s name, she forced the words out. “Is this really what the crew thinks?” 

Tom wiped the back of his neck, “Oh. I’m sorry, Seven. I don’t want you to feel offended. I know you’ve seen a lot, but it’s probably strange for you to see that people think the Captain and you—I’m sorry. I’ll take your name off.” 

“No.” She faced him with pretend innocence. “There’s nothing to take my name off of.” Turning, she headed for the door but stopped halfway. “Lieutenant?” 

He grimaced, afraid she may have changed her mind—when had the XB ever approved of breaking the rules? 

“As you are my friend, I must share information which may be pertinent to the outcome of your odds.” 

He waited, hanging on her words. 

“While Commander Chakotay may be the… favorite, it is common knowledge that if one always bets on the favorite, one will lose in the long run. Perhaps colts are more common, but the mares have the most to offer. Lieutenant,” she nodded and swiftly departed.

Tom scratched his chin as he turned back to the board. 


	5. Bowling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated 01/11/21

It didn’t elude her for long—the Captain was most definitely avoiding her. After a month apart, not once being able to converse with the Captain alone, Seven had decided it was time to put an end to it. Although she wouldn’t be able to take a direct approach, she hoped a tried and true tactic would suffice, with one or two modifications. 

As the Captain’s voice carried through the doors of her quarters, Seven cleared her face of any emotion and entered. She waited as the Captain turned the page of a book, the cover partially hidden from Seven’s view. She tilted her head to try and make out the title and smiled to herself as Kathryn finally looked up. 

“Oh, Seven. I’m sorry. I thought you were—How are you?” 

The conversation from the mess hall returned to her,  _ who had the Captain been visiting every night, late at night?  _ She pushed it aside. In her arms she held six PADDs and pleasantly set them down on the low table in front of the couch. 

Kathryn glanced at them before looking up at the blonde expectantly. 

Seven crossed her hands behind her back and waited, her jaw firmly shut. 

“These are…?” 

Seven looked down at her with a somewhat smug expression and one she knew Kathryn enjoyed by the rise in her heartbeat and the light blush that prickled her cheeks. “These consist of the entire analyses and proposed adjustments for  _ Voyager’s  _ gel packs.” 

_ These goddamn gel packs!  _ “I see,” Kathryn let out a disturbed sigh. “And I guess you want me to read them all?” She tilted her head and folded some of her hair behind her ear. 

Suddenly Seven’s confidence wavered and she felt herself soften as she gazed at the auburn hair and grey eyes of the Captain. 

Kathryn checked her coffee cup and found it empty. Setting the book on the table, she brushed past Seven and ordered another cup from the replicator. Seven looked to the book, breezing past the title as she examined the image. Two women graced the cover, one in a white suit and bow tie, and the other in a glittering silver dress. She knew exactly what she was looking at, but had absolutely no idea what it meant. 

“Is there anything else?” Kathryn asked from behind her, the scent of coffee wafting the air. 

Heart beating loudly, Seven turned around to find the Captain standing closer than she expected, though still within a professional distance. Seven found her self-confidence again and stood taller. “Perhaps I can provide you with a summary of the six PADDs, if you are able to continue to assist me in finding a hobby.” 

A tantalizingly slow smile grew on one side of Kathryn’s face as an eyebrow rose along with it. She always had to defy her, didn’t she? Remembering the way it felt to kiss her, Kathryn’s stomach was a knot. 

Seven quirked her brow, “Or perhaps you would rather read my comprehensive report. I made sure to cover every aspect, for the purposes of clarity and thoroughness.” 

Kathryn shook her head as she finally broke her eye contact and took a swig of rich coffee. “Mmhm,” she voiced deep in her throat. 

Seven nodded once and brushed past her just as Kathryn had. She spoke over her shoulder without taking a second look at the small-framed woman, “Enjoy your reading.” 

Kathryn frowned as the doors closed behind the blonde. It wasn’t until she sat down that she realized she’d been so distracted that she left her book on the table. Surely Seven had seen it, and read the cover, and knew exactly what it was. Her heart throbbed in her chest. Then again, maybe Seven hadn’t really noticed it—she seemed too involved in her own scheme to take notice of Kathryn’s reading material, except for the 6 PADDs, which was surely what Seven meant when she left. Surely.

  
  


*****

Seven strode down the hall in black slacks and a black, long sleeve cotton shirt. She rather liked the comfort these items afforded her—the biosuit had always left her feeling overexposed. Confidence was the counterweight of choice, but it was nice to not worry about it at all. Kathryn’s call had come the next evening, and just at the right time, moments before she was going to start a regeneration cycle. She wasn’t really due for one, but with her report for the gel packs finished, she hadn’t started a new project yet. Good thing, too, since it would’ve been just as thorough as the gel packs. She wasn’t going to give up on Kathryn after one set of PADDs. 

Kathryn had instructed her to wear something comfortable that she could move in. Without telling the Doctor what the occasion was, or who she was meeting, she liked the options he had assembled for her. Her chosen outfit made her feel slinky, in her own body, flirtatious, even. 

Her comfort screeched to a halt as she turned the corner and found the Captain waiting by the holodeck. She too wore casual, Earth clothes. A pair of dark denims, black boots, and a silky maroon button-down. Seven’s breath caught in her throat as the Captain turned around to expose the faintest glimpse of cleavage. 

“You look nice,” Kathryn smiled as Seven stood stiffly beside her. “Are you feeling all right?” 

She turned to look directly into the Captain’s eyes. There was something there, something dancing between them. “I am functioning within normal parameters,” she turned back to the doors. 

As they stepped inside, thudded clanks rang throughout the room. A musty scent circled them as Seven followed behind Kathryn. She glanced around the large area, a room with a sign above it said  _ Games _ , and another said  _ Bar.  _

Kathryn glanced back with a smile as she observed Seven taking in their surroundings—the XB had no clue what she was getting into. Kathryn stopped at a large round counter where a tall man stood cleaning shoes. Seven ran smack dab into Kathryn and apologized. The Captain chuckled until she felt Seven slide her hand against the small of her back as she moved aside. Kathryn’s laugh died in her chest as a wave of longing washed over her. 

“Size?” The mustachioed man urged. 

“Seven,” Kathryn replied. 

The blonde turned around, “Yes, Kathryn?” 

There was another catch of breath in her throat as she heard her name come from Seven. She bit back a smile. “What size shoe are you?” 

“My shoe size?” 

Kathryn eyed her black heels and turned back to the man, “Elevens, I think.”

Seven wandered off, standing beside a barstool with a high table. She looked down at the area a few steps below. There were many different kinds of people, families, teenagers, a group of older people in matching shirts. Each section had a sign above, indicating  _ Lane 1, Lane 2, Lane 3 _ … all the way to  _ Lane 13 _ , which appeared to be the only one unoccupied.

“Try these on,” Kathryn handed her the shoes as she slipped off her own. 

Seven watched the Captain and followed suit, finding the shoes fit well. Had Kathryn simply guessed her size? She supposed shoe sizes weren’t that difficult to estimate. 

With their shoes changed, Kathryn smiled at her while taking hold of her boots and Seven’s heels. “Let’s get started! Follow me.” She led them down the stairs and they walked along the backs of the groups of people. Seven found she liked the sounds of the place, somewhat loud, but not sharp, even if she found the activity itself to be… simplistic. 

After tossing aside their shoes, Kathryn grabbed an orange ball from the rack behind them and held it up, showing Seven where her fingers fit into three holes. “Okay, stand over there. It’s bad manners to stand so closely when someone is bowling.” Seven walked around to the wall on the other side of the ball return machine. She was glad to have something solid against her back. 

The Captain held the ball up and under her chin. She glanced to her left to see if there was another bowler already set. With the coast clear, she focused on one of the markers at the edge of the lane. Taking three steps and a confident swing backward, she released the ball and the toes of her right foot landed squarely on the shining floor.

Seven meant to watch the ball, but her eyes were glued to the beautiful woman who stepped backwards, gliding along the slick floor, eyes glued to the orange ball. 

The maroon of Kathryn’s shirt brought out her eyes, and her auburn hair sang to Seven, pleaded to be caressed and brushed with her fingers. Thank god for the wall behind her—she wasn’t sure she’d be able to refrain from tipping over if it weren’t there. 

She gulped as she wrenched her eyes away in time to catch the ball knock over all but one of the pins. When she looked back to Kathryn, the redhead was waving her over with two fingers—two narrow, beautiful fingers. 

“You get two chances to knock down all the pins. If I pick this one up, it’s called a spare. That means that I still earn the maximum amount of points for the frame.” 

Seven nodded but her mind simply let the meaningless words fly through while her real focus remained on the flecks of blue and gold in Kathryn’s eyes, and the way Kathryn’s smile always started on the left side first. She counted a couple freckles on her cheek, wanting to touch them, no, not just touch, but outline, count and brush. 

“Okay, back over there,” Kathryn shooed her away as she picked up her ball from the machine. Seven took her place against the wall again as she silently watched Kathryn. The warm pool had been nice, of course, but she found  _ bowling  _ to be surprisingly romantic. The fluid movements, the use of fingers, the relaxed competition, and despite the many people, each lane appeared to be fully consumed only with their own activities. She had the urge to pull Kathryn into an embrace and kiss her. But as she was waved over once again, and realized it was her turn, she recognized how unfortunate it was that she hadn’t paid attention to the form Kathryn took—only her form itself. 

“Let’s find you the right weight.” Kathryn moved swiftly and powerfully, picking up and testing different weights and then examining the hole sizes. “Let me see your hands.” She took Seven’s hand and examined it. With her other hand she trailed a finger along the curves and lines, even finding a small scar she’d never noticed before along her forefinger. 

Kathryn realized she was lingering too long and released her. “I think this will work,” She handed over a deep purple ball and made her way back to the edge of the platform. Seven followed after a quick deep breath. 

“Two middle fingers and thumb,” Kathryn directed as she watched Seven. She leaned behind Seven to grab her ball from the machine, suddenly feeling very warm as her chest brushed across Seven’s back. She shook it off as she took the ball and showed Seven how to properly hold it. 

Next was posture, the walks, and the swing. Kathryn had barely finished one demonstration when Seven, as confident as a bird committing itself to the air, strode across the wood and swung. Kathryn’s mouth hung open as the bowling ball crashed into the pins and broke four of them almost nearly in half. White dust exploded from the site and the bowling ball was knocked back and skipped over to lane 12. 

Seven’s eyes grew wide as silence fell over the bowling alley. She was afraid to turn around but a quiet sound came from behind her and she was curious. Turning around, she found Kathryn laughing and doing a dismal job at hiding it. Slowly, everyone turned back to their own lanes and the thudded clanking and chatter resumed. 

Kathryn apologized on her behalf to lane 12, but the small family laughed along with her and were done with their game anyway. Kathryn watched as they left, trying to hide her laughter from Seven, who she was sure was feeling quite embarrassed. When she turned around she was barely able to say her name before she went down. 

In another brilliant move, Seven stepped onto the lane and found the floor so slick that she was thrown backwards onto her back. Kathryn slid up to her quickly. “Are you okay?!” She looked over Seven’s features, and pressed her fingers to the back of her head to feel for a gash. “Does anything hurt?” 

Seven shook her head and bit her lip. It didn’t help that a smile began to curl on Kathryn’s lips again. 

“Don’t!” Seven pointed at her, teasing the older woman who kept her pinned. She shook her head again as Kathryn let out a chuckle and then bit it back again, trying hard to squash it. “If you don’t stop…” 

Kathryn’s chuckle spilled out again.

“I warned you,” Seven said in a deep whisper. She wrapped her fingers around Kathryn’s neck and pulled her down. Seven pressed her lips to hers and immediately found Kathryn’s chuckled had dissipated. Instead, she found a tongue lightly swiping in her mouth, seemingly with a mind of its own. 

Seven wrapped her arms around her tighter, pulling her into a deeper kiss. The quiet rumble of a moan from the redhead made her shudder. 

Kathryn slowly pulled away, relishing the sensations as they’re hot lips separated. She glanced up and found the mustachioed man standing there with a quietly annoyed expression, his lips pressed firmly together in a long line that tipped downward. 

“No stepping on the lanes.” 

Seven propped on an elbow, slipped, tried again and then glanced back at him. “Technically, we are not stepping.” 

He rolled his eyes much like the Doctor would, “no laying on the lanes.” 

Kathryn smiled and then met Seven’s smiling eyes. She rose carefully and then held out a hand to Seven. The tall blonde rose up with her assistance. 

“This lane is closed.” 

“Sorry about that,” Kathryn giggled as she gathered up their shoes. “We’ll, uh, pay for the damages.” She began backing away from the area. “Seven? You coming?” 

Seven nodded. As she passed by the man she spoke under her breath, “just about.” 

  
  


*****

Kathryn sat at the booth of a half circle table, one of five mini alcoves in the alley bar. The light was dim, dimmer than seemed necessary, to Seven. An old man and his apparent grandson played mediocrely on the small stage, though no one really listened. Most of the bowlers came in and out of the half-doors to buy beer and go back to their lane. Still, there was at least one other couple in the room, a few booths down from where they sat. 

Kathryn laughed, resting her fingers on Seven’s forearm. The jovial mood of Seven’s blunders shifted once again. There was that spark again, Seven noted, as she looked into Kathryn’s eyes. That dance between them was back, an energy she wanted to lean into and consume. But she didn’t want Kathryn to think this was fake, and she didn’t want to move too quickly. The slower she took it, the more likely Kathryn wouldn’t retreat. 

Kathryn moved her fingers lightly over Seven’s forearm in small circles, a knee gently sliding against her own. Seven wanted this, she wanted this more than anything, but if it went further than this then Kathryn would regret it. She’d want to spend another month apart, if not longer, if not altogether. 

Seven gently removed her arm from Kathryn’s touch, a move she found even harder to do than she expected. “It is late.” She slid off the booth and rose. Looking at Kathryn, she found her to be the slightest bit confusion and disappointment before the command mask came over. 

She slid out and smiled nicely, though Seven saw that it didn’t extend completely to her eyes. 

As they passed by the mustachioed man, Seven leaned behind Kathryn and spoke to him. “Please send our bill to 74219.32 by 19720.38.” 

Kathryn’s fingers caught at Seven’s waist for a moment while they continued on, “and where’d you send our bowling friend?” 

“That is the location of the void.” 

Kathryn smiled as she followed Seven out of the holodeck. 


	6. Basketball

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a long while since I’ve updated this. Some new ideas came to me. Not sure where it will go, but here’s a new chapter anyway. <3

Seven was surprised when Tom invited her to the holodeck that evening. The invitation was extended to the senior staff for a ‘friendly game of b-ball,’ which she did not understand. After conducting a little research, she believed he was inviting them, and her, to play basketball. Her height, she knew from continued research of the sport, would be an advantage. Her ability to play, on the other hand, was untested, and possibly a disadvantage if she didn’t excel quickly.

It didn’t matter one way or another. Everyone, including the Captain, had RSVP’d, and she would not miss an opportunity to be close to her. They still hadn’t spoken of their last two embraces nor their conversation in the ‘hot tub.’ It didn’t matter however, she just longed to see her up close again, to catch a whiff of her scent or a press of her body. Anything Kathryn would offer, she’d take.

Stepping into the holodeck, she found an indoor basketball court with one set of bleachers pulled from the wall. There were jackets and random items littered along the bottom bench, and a group of familiar faces warmed up, talking and taking a few shots. She scanned the room for the face she most wanted to see. No sign. She made her way to the bleachers to wait.

A few minutes later, the doors opened and Kathryn and Chakotay entered, walking side by side. Hoping to catch her eye, she followed Kathryn and the commander as they made their way toward the bleachers. Kathryn chuckled, putting her hand around his arm momentarily, and then leaning in to whisper. The commander also appeared to be enjoying himself as he wrapped an arm around her briefly. 

“Seven?” 

She turned toward the male voice. Tom grinned, “come on, time for the lesson.” 

She frowned slightly, unhappy to leave the bleachers before Kathryn made it there. Though she seemed busy, enjoying her time with the commander. But she couldn’t help herself as Tom’s lesson went on. Seven casually glanced behind her a few times to find Kathryn laughing and whispering with Chakotay. The more it went on, the angerier she felt at the commander. But what hurt more was feeling invisible to the Captain. 

Tom snapped in her face and she narrowed her eyes at him. B’Elanna laughed. “Watch out, Tom!” 

“You need to practice,” Tom repeated. 

Seven rolled her eyes. She grabbed the ball from him in one hand and tossed her arm up toward the hoop. The ball struggled against the backboard but made it in. 

“I am good enough.” 

Tom nodded, surrendering. “All right then. Let’s break up into teams.” Tom made himself and Harry the two team leaders. Divvying up the players, Seven was relieved when Chakotay was chosen for a different team than her own. But it didn’t last long when Kathryn joined his team a moment later, sharing a high-five with him.

B’Elanna, Tom, the Doctor and Seven were on one team, and on the other, Kathryn, Chakotay, Harry and Neelix. 

Seven was focused on taking the position Chakotay did, even sending Tom to play in a forward position he wasn’t used to. The Doctor and Neelix faced off while B’Elanna and Harry did. That left Kathryn to play against Tom, which Seven found to be the safest choice. Tom wouldn’t challenge Kathryn like B’Elanna would, or annoy her like the Doctor. And she herself needed to prove her ability against the commander. 

Tom was by far the most skilled player, but Seven nearly gaped as she watched Kathryn move swiftly between crew members with an agile elegance. As Kathryn dodged past Seven’s team, and toward her, she was the last body to defend their basket. Kathryn turned at the moment she would’ve collided with her, pushing her back into Seven’s front, and took her shot. It was the first time Seven had felt Kathryn since they bowled a few weeks earlier, and the sensations flooded her all at once. 

She awoke with a start on the court to find the Doctor in her face. “Feeling okay?” 

She pushed him aside as she pulled herself into a sitting position. None of the faces around her were Kathryn’s, and she didn’t see her in the room at all. Sadness filled her chest as she eyed the group around her. 

“Seven?” 

The voice was husky and familiar, and the sadness vanished as she turned. She hadn’t even realized she was clutching to Kathryn’s sleeve, and had dragged her along as she sat up. 

“My apologies, Captain,” Seven said. She felt all 14 eyes on her and realized she was still clutching the material, finally releasing her. 

“Maybe we should play again next week,” Kathryn offered to the rest of the group as Seven tried to get her bearings. Tom and B’Elanna lended Seven a hand and yanked her up on her feet. 

“You guys are going down,” B’Elanna teased, smiling kindly toward Seven. The blonde nodded with a shy grin. 

“Careful,” Tom retorted, “no fraternizing with the opposing team.” 

B’Elanna whacked him and the pair wandered off the court with Harry in tow. Seven took a seat on the bleachers. She needed to sit down and calm her varying, ebbing emotions. 

It was Kathryn who nudged everyone else out, until only Chakotay stayed behind. He lingered by the doors, obviously waiting for her. Kathryn glanced at Seven and then back to him. She knew she needed to talk to Seven about what had happened, she couldn’t just ignore it. She’d noticed the way Seven played against Chakotay, even though she’d told Seven explicitly that she didn’t love him, her behavior had hurt Seven, and that was unacceptable. 

“I’ll see you later, commander,” Kathryn called softly and he nodded, pausing a moment before leaving. 

Kathryn grabbed the basketball from the court and dribbled around, shooting a few hoops. She hoped Seven would join her. 

****

“Here, hold it this way,” Kathryn showed her with a second basketball they’d ordered from the holodeck. The blonde mimicked her grip, standing beside her on the court. 

“Good. Now bend your knees a little and loosen up.” She displayed, showing Seven how it looked.

Once more, Seven mimicked her stance. 

“Good. Now, remember to use your right hand for power, left for aim. Flick but not too hard. Arc toward the square on the backboard. Okay?” 

Seven did a mental checklist. “Please show me once more.” 

Kathryn smiled, then dribbled the ball a few times. She loosened her stance, keeping her knees bent, and arced the ball into the air. It went directly through the hoop leaving only a soft whisper of a sound. 

Smiling, Kathryn turned to her, just as Seven tossed aside her basketball and closed the gap between them. She wrapped her arms around Kathryn’s waist and pulled her close. Kathryn didn’t delay, meeting her mouth with her own and kissing her hungrily. They moved backward until they came upon the cushioned wall just beyond the hoop. 

Kathryn moaned as Seven kissed her deeper, pressing her mouth up and against her own. She slid her arms under Seven’s and pulled her tighter. A groan filled the space around them. 

The warm tongue inside her mouth was better than she remembered. How had she let so much time go by before kissing her Astrometrics officer again? Why had she waited at all? She pulled the blonde closer, humming at the feel of her body against her own. Moving slightly, she found Seven’s leg against her center and shivered at the sensation. “Seven, I—”

Immediately the blonde pulled away. She fixed her hair, running a hand around her mouth to wipe away the saliva. Then clasping them behind her back, she slightly dipped her chin at Kathryn. “I look forward to the next time you are able to assist me with a hobby. Goodnight.” 

She turned on her foot, moving efficiently across the court and out of the holodeck. There was no telling how Kathryn would react, but she hoped beyond hope that Kathryn’s stubborn resolve was quickly dissolving.


End file.
